The Lady Turned Bounty Hunter
by LovinLemonSharks
Summary: 1911: Ruby Flynn, ex-gang member, aspiring bounty-hunter. When crossing paths with John Marston, she sees this as the chance of a lifetime. Will she be able to rid the west of its criminals and help John with his own mission to return to his family? M for language and violence. Test Story.


**Alright, here it is. My FIRST EVER fanfiction :D Please, please, please don't be TOO harsh, critiques are always welcome. I hope you enjoy. :)**

**NOTE: I will not be continuing this story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Read Dead Redemption or any of it's characters, all belongs to Rockstar.**

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The scream of a nearby prostitute meeting her end was not uncommon in Theives' Landing, yet it still gave Ruby an uneasy feeling. She stepped out of the gunsmith's shop and whistled for her horse, a tough Kentucky Saddler stolen from her old gang. Ruby had been running from them for months now; she had completely changed her look, chopping off her long dark red curls for a short neck-length bob and switching out her womanly dresses for more suitable riding clothes.

It seemed like Thieves' Landing was always muggy, no matter how dry the surrounding countryside was. With a sigh, Ruby hopped onto her horse, which she calls Pearl, and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow.

"Let's go!" she commanded, nudging Pearl in the sides. They trotted through the lawless town, kicking into a gallop when Ruby spotted the prostitute's bloodied corpse. She sped out of the shady humid marshes and into Hennigan's Stead, quickly feeling the effects of the blinding sun on her bare neck. As she neared the next ranch, Ruby heard men behind her. She whipped her head around, only to be met with the sinister grins of three men, one of them already tossing his lasso. Before she could react, she was yanked off her speeding horse and slammed into the dirt. Another man with a bandana quickly tied her arms and legs and propped her up.

"What the hell!" She struggled to free herself from the tight ropes. An all-too-familiar voice caused her to stop.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Ruby tried to glare up at the man, squinting through the bright sunlight. "If it ain't my darlin' Roo, we've been lookin' for ya."

"William, let me go, it's been _months_," she growled, not breaking her glare. Though he was just twenty-two, a year older than herself, life as an outlaw had aged him, he no longer had the youthful, kind face Ruby fell in love with so long ago. The man that stood before her now was too slender, too damaged.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, girl. You see," he began to explain, kneeling down and leaning in to her neck, breathing slowly, "I ain't happy when my whore leaves, and I ain't happy when she takes my best horse. Do I need to put you in your place?"

"I ain't your whore." William threw his head back, his laugh mocking her.

"Why do ya think I _ever _let you run with us? Yer just an illiterate bitch, only good for_ one thing_." She winced at his remark, trying to forget all he told her when they were together. The other men snickered as he grabbed her face and forcefully kissed her.

"To hell with you!" She spit in his face, earning her a slap.

"Damn it, bitch!" he snarled, stepping back and wiping his eye, "I warned you!" He kicked her in the side. One of his men began to drag her toward a nearby tree. Ruby struggled against the man, giving herself rope burn in the process. She kept up with this until she felt another rope around her neck. William approached she wooden crate holding her up.

"What can I say, darlin'?" He smirked. She screamed just as he kicked the box out from under her. Ruby looked up at the sky, choking, unable to speak. _My God, this is it_. Loud gunshots rang in her ears, breaking her train of thought. Once again, she hit the floor, gasping for air. She saw men fall before her, soon soaking in a puddle of their own blood. William fumbled with his own gun, cursing at a man she just noticed. He towered before her, clad in an old tan duster coat, his face hidden by a black bandana, dark hat tipped forward hiding his eyes.

"Son of a bitch! I'll kill you, bastard!" Before William could even pull the trigger, the man shot his hand, sending the gun flying into the dirt in a splatter of red. "God damn it!" he collapsed on the floor, holding what was left of his bloody hand. William looked at her then, his face twisted with pain and his eyes full of hatred. Ruby watched, in slow motion it seemed, as his brains were blown out the side of his head. He fell into a bloody heap, another corpse destined to rot away in the unforgiving sun. She sat in shock until the man cut her loose.

"You alright, miss?" He took her hand and pulled her up, then he took to removing his bandana. When Ruby saw his scars, she instinctively touched her own. He looked tired, but kind.

"I'm...I'm fine, thank you kindly, mister." She brushed herself off, and picked up her hat and guns. "I'm afraid I don't have any way to repay you."

"That's just fine, ma'am. Take care of yourself, now." He tipped his hat as he turned toward his jet-black steed. This was her chance, she wanted more than anything to kill bad men like William.

"Wait, mister!" She called, stumbling after him, "I could help you."

"I don't believe you could help me in any way, miss."

"Please, I'm really good with a gun, I can help you kill bandits." Ruby motioned to her guns, a hopeful look painted on her face.

"Ma'am," he chuckled, "I appreciate the offer, but the kinda stuff I do ain't suitable for a young lady such as yourself." He tipped his hat once again.

"I ain't no 'young lady'! I can help you, I ran with a gang. I know what I'm doin'," she tried again, putting her hands on her hips. He shook his head and laughed quietly to himself.

"Miss, you put up a fight, I'll give you that, but I'm gonna have to insist that you go back to where you came from."

"I don't got nowhere to go, mister!" She replied, throwing her hands in the air. She wasn't going to give up this easily.

"I'm sure you'll fit in somewhere. Good day, ma'am."

"Please, sir, please! If you'll just let me show you!" She begged, reaching for her pistol. He shook his head.

"Ma'am, I'm afra -"

"Mister, I reckon your just stuck with me, 'cause I ain't goin' anywhere." She smirked, crossing her arms immaturely. The man sighed, he would be able to lose her at the ranch. Ruby whistled for Pearl, and began to trot after the man. "So what's your name?"

"John Marston," he replied, kicking his horse into a gallop.

"Well, Mr. Marston, thanks again for savin' me, an' thanks for lettin' me come with ya, I've wanted to do this for a long time. I'm Ruby Flynn." Ruby grinned at him, her brown eyes lighting up with childlike eagerness. He simply nodded, offering a small smile in return. The two galloped toward MacFarlane's Ranch just as the sun was setting, turning the sky into brilliant shades of pink and orange.

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**Kind of short, I know. I'm bad at dialogue, if anyone can help me with that PLEASE leave a comment. I hope I was able to keep John Marston in character :/ At least I tried, right?**

**Again, this was only a test, I will not include any further chapters.**


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